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It’s 7:00 in the morning and it’s hot. Along with the RV traffic on the highway, I had hoped to avoid the heat. I don’t function well in extreme heat. My second cup of mediocre, but complimentary, coffee is cooling as I look out the widow of my hotel room. I know that Osoyoos in August is hot. That’s just how it is. I was expecting that. But there’s a part of me that was hoping by waking up early it wouldn’t be so bad. Admittedly, it was a bit of wishful thinking. You roll the dice and you take your chances I guess.

The big climb has a special place in cycling. In many ways it’s a contest with yourself and with nature. Do you have the legs to make it to the top? And barring that, do you have the will and the strength to suffer to the end. Pain, and how you deal with it, is a large component of cycling. The big climb, wherever it may be, is a test. Has Mother Nature created something that will beat you? Has She created something that you cannot defeat, cannot climb, cannot finish. How much can you take before you give up? And is giving up something that you can do?

For a few weeks, the Highwood Pass becomes a playground for road cyclists. As soon as the snow melts, usually in mid-May, the Pass offers car-free riding, good climbs, and great scenery. At least, it does until the road opens to traffic in June, then it only offers two of those things. But, for those few weeks, the Highwood Pass is great. Beyond great even.

The thing about riding with ex-professionals, former olympians, and the like, is that the ride is never as easy as you want it to be. In fact, very frequently, the ride is much harder than you’d like, no matter how slow everyone agrees to pedal. It’s usually rides like these that remind you that you’re not as fast as you think you are. You learn that those expensive wheels you bought don’t make up for fitness and talent. You learn that video games are not a substitute for the stationary trainer in the off-season. You learn that, maybe, you should think twice about that second helping of dessert. The hills around Banff can teach you all of these valuable lessons, and more, with the right company along for the ride.